Nightshade
by Vibrant Iris
Summary: Three years after the mages saved the web, a new mage appears, revealing a steamy and shocking mystery...and stirring up romances. Adriane/Zach & Marlin/Em -- but which lady will Lorren choose?
1. A Strange Discovery

**Author's note: MAJOR DARK MAGE SPOILERS!!!**

**This is the first fic I've ever posted! **

**_Please review, no matter what you think! Even just a few words would be great._**

**Disclaimer: Rachel Roberts owns Avalon, not me.**

Adriane Charday stepped out of the forest and into a meadow of pearly grasses and flowers of every imaginable color. The clearing was surrounded on all sides by silver-leafed trees, which stretched tall into the sky and filtered down speckles of sunlight. At the farthest-away end, little fairy creatures watched her, buzzing and looping through the warm air with excitement.

"You guys," Adriane called back into the forest. "Check this out!"

She heard a commotion of crunching and rustling leaves, getting louder by the second until three figures (one tan and two green) appeared behind the vine curtain.

"Look at that!" gasped Tasha, who stepped into the clearing as Lorren and Zach held back the vines. "These could be all new flower species."

Tasha knelt down and examined a red, orange, and yellow flower whose petals looked like flames, as Adriane felt something tugging on her black combat boots. She looked down and saw a purple and furry-faced fairy, about the size of her hand, strumming on the laces like guitar strings.

"Hey!" she laughed, as the fairy started playing with strands of her glossy dark hair. It zipped up to her face and kissed her on both cheeks before buzzing to the other side of the clearing.

"That's not fair," said Lorren. "Why aren't Zach or I allowed to do that?"

Grinning and blushing, Adriane gave the Goblin Prince a half-assed smack on the head.

"Because she's not as friendly as I am," a hand with perfectly-manicured, hot pink nails brushed against Lorren's shoulder. Golden-haired Kara strode into the meadow, followed by Emily, who held a chatting fairy creature in her hands.

"Avalon is so beautiful," Emily sighed, as the butterfly-like fairy fluttered away.

Only three years ago, the mages had saved Avalon from the Dark Sorceress, and released its magic to replenish the web and all of its worlds. Emily had won out against the dark magic, Ozzie had come back to life, and Avalon had become a hub of magic-users from across the web. Already, Fairy Realms historians were calling it a Golden Age. Now, the mages were exploring the long-lost island of magic.

"This place…there's something strange about it," said Zach, who hung back at the edge of the forest, the only one not joining in the fun.

"I know! Some of these flowers, I've never seen them grow anywhere else," Tasha said.

"No, I mean," Zach started walking slowly forward, his face oddly blank. "There's this magic. I've never felt anything like it before."

He pointed to an edge of the meadow away from the dancing fairies. "Over there," and then he suddenly took off running in that direction.

"Zach!" Adriane sprinted after him, Lorren with her.

"What the hell, people?" Kara called, but no one heard her.

Zach was almost to the trees when his foot caught on something, and he flew forward and landed on his side. He sat up immediately, and by then Adriane and Lorren were kneeling next to him.

"Are you okay?" Adriane demanded. "Is your leg hurt?"

"It's fine. Doesn't hurt," Zach mumbled, as he drew in a breath that had been knocked out of him. He looked back at Kara, Emily, and Tasha, far away, and blinked in confusion. "How did I get here? Wasn't I just over there."

"You just _ran_ over here! Don't you remember." said Lorren, just as winded as Adriane and Zach.

"No, I don't. The last thing I remember is Emily holding a fairy…"

"What's _that_?" Adriane pointed to a shining object barely visible among the pearly grasses. She pushed the grass away and uncovered a crystalline pyramid embedded in the ground. It was pulsing pale blue light. "You must have tripped over this. And it's definitely some 'strange magic'."

Transfixed, Zach brushed his fingers against the crystal's tip. "This is just the top. There's more under the ground. We have to dig it up!"

"Woah, hold on. We have no idea what this thing is—or what it could do to us. Tasha!" Adriane called to the goblin girl. "Come look at this!"

Tasha jogged over, Emily and Kara following at a brisk walk. She took a little handheld device from the pocket of her star-patterned robe and waved it over the crystal. Some graphs and charts appeared on the screen.

"It's a storage crystal, like the Dark Sorceress used," Tasha said, and a shudder ran through the whole group. "But there's no dark magic left—only traces of time magic."

"Time magic. That explains my…whatever that was," said Zach.

"There's a magical aura inside the crystal," Tasha squinted at the device. "It's weak, but…it's mage magic!"

"Wait," Kara peered over Tasha's shoulder. "So you mean there's a mage _inside_ this crystal?"

"Quite possibly. We won't know until we dig it out and examine it."

"And you're sure that it's safe?" Adriane raised an eyebrow.

"Ninety-nine percent sure."

"Okay everyone," said Adriane. "Let's dig this thing up."

Emily, Kara, Zach, and Adriane joined hands in a circle around the crystal. One at a time, each sent a band of their magic around the ring. The soil began to lift out from around the crystal, funneling in an arc through the air, and landing in a growing dirt pile behind Adriane. At the same time, the crystal slowly lifted out from the ground. It was maybe eight feet long and three feet wide, and covered in a thin layer of dirt under which blue light pulsed.

When the bottom tip cleared the hole, Adriane turned the crystal horizontally and slowly lay it down behind Zach. The mages broke their circle and, along with Lorren and Tasha who had been quietly watching, rushed over to the crystal.

"Ew," said Kara. "Let me clean this up." With a swipe of her red-and-silver magic, all of the dirt fell away.

Everyone gasped. Encased in the pulsing crystal was a girl about their age. Her eyes were closed, her face serene, her hair midnight black, and her skin pale. She wore a short red tunic and a jewel on a choker necklace—a purple and silver rose.

"Wow," murmured Lorren. Kara glared at him, but he didn't notice, as he was too busy staring at her lovely face and softly-curved body.

Tasha's device broke the stunned silence with a series of beeps.

"Fascinating," Tasha whispered with her eyes fixed to the screen. "I've never seen a mage like this!"

**Author's note: So, what do you think? Please review and give me any suggestions! Hey, just review in general! What do **_**you**_** think should happen next?**


	2. Mist and Monsters

**Thank you to Raven's Wing for the sweet review! I think everything you mentioned happens in this chapter, lol. I hope you like it! **

**This chapter has lots of action, and things really start to get going. Please review!**

"So what's the verdict," Adriane glanced at the girl encased in crystal, levitating in a glass tube before her. The blue glow danced eerily on the dark stone walls of the goblin research base. Emily, Kara, Zach, and Lorren were interspersed among the room's hordes of gadgets, devices, test tubes, and flasks, all very nervous and stealing quick looks at the crystal. None could stand to gaze at it for long.

"Studying her aura hasn't been easy," Tasha said, fiddling with a contraption of lights and buttons at her desk. "Because it's so faded. But what I have found is just fascinating: elemental time and fire magic, with some traces of earth, and then there's something else…"

"Something else?" asked Emily, her eyes widening.

"Well, mage magic usually falls into three categories: healer, warrior, and blazing star, even if the mage isn't _the_ healer, warrior, or blazing star of the prophesy."

"So like how Zach has warrior magic and Sierra in New Mexico has healer magic?" said Kara, already eyeing the crystal girl suspiciously.

"Exactly. But this magic-type…it's mage magic, but it's not healer, warrior, _or_ blazing star! It's unlike any I've seen myself or in books or studies or anything—dark magic or not. None of my colleagues have ever seen it either. And there's something else: this crystal, it has traces of the Dark Sorceress's magic."

The room grew cold, heavy, and silent, until Zach spoke: "So you mean that she's some new type of mage, trapped in this crystal by the Sorceress? How long has she been in there?"

"That's my theory. And by my aura-decay dating, roughly four years."

"Wait," Emily gasped. "Four years…Imprisoning this girl was probably the last thing the Sorceress did before…" She couldn't bring herself to say 'before we killed her.'

Tasha nodded. "And I don't know if this girl was some minion she grew tired of, or if she was genuinely trying to stop the Sorceress. Whether we should release her—even _how_ we _could_ release her—I have no idea. I'll have to study this more."

Zach strode up to the crystal. "She could've been conscious this entire time. She could be suffering in there! Let's figure out how to release her first."

"Are you kidding?" Kara said sharply. "She could be anything, like some dark magic bomb! And if we let her out, we'd be totally screwed. Besides, if she's been in there for four years, a few more weeks are nothing."

Tasha glanced nervously between Zach and Kara until Lorren spoke up: "You're both right. If her magic is nothing like the Sorceress's, she's probably not a minion. Hell, I'd bet that she's on our side. Here's my offer: we'll release her, but we'll have a spell ready to trap her again if she's really a threat. We can save her and protect ourselves all at once."

"We'll vote," said Emily. "All for Lorren's plan…" She, Adriane, Zach, and Lorren raised their hands. "All opposed…" Kara's hand shot up.

"Well, it's decided. I'll get to work in the morning." Tasha gave Kara an apologetic look. The blonde frowned, but held her tongue.

Everyone but Lorren and Tasha took one last look at the crystal before leaving the room. Kara threw an unnoticed glare at Lorren. The crystal was the same as it had been those past two weeks: the pulsing blue glow and the still, serene-faced girl. Tasha systematically switched off the many whirring gizmos and contraptions, as Lorren stood before the tube and gazed at the girl. The protective magical shield crackled across the glass.

"She's not even conscious, yet you're completely entranced by her," Tasha giggled.

A purple blush spread across Lorren's handsome green face. "Hardly. It's just fascinating: a new type of mage." He paused. "Before, you said you thought that she was human."

"Now I think part-human. I'm getting strong fairy readings, too."

"But no wings…" Lorren sighed, and turned to leave with Tasha.

Behind him, barely noticeable, the crystal pulsed just a bit brighter.

***

If the crystal room's young goblin guard hadn't been dozing, he may have noticed the dark mist snaking along the corridor before he felt its chill on top of him. He flung open his eyes to blackness and deadly cold, his scream sucked from his throat before it could escape. He and his sword fell to the ground with a _clank_, completely still but for shallow breathing.

The mist slithered under the crystal room door.

***

The shattering sound was as sharp as a dagger, slashing through the dense stone walls to the little upstairs rooms where the mages slept. Adriane was out of bed and on her feet in a second, already sensing a thread of dark magic. Jewel blazing, she bolted from her room and into a hallway of shouting and panicking guards and mages. She pushed her way through the melee and dashed down the narrow enclosed spiral stairs, as she felt Zach close behind her.

The dark magic became stronger as they ran towards the downed guard. Adriane knelt and felt his pulse. _He's alive_, she thought to Zach. _But keep quiet_. She sent a mental message to Emily.

Adriane closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Numbness moved up her limbs and through her entire body as she dissolved into mist. _Whatever this is, it's in the crystal room_, she thought to Zach, Emily, and Kara. _I'll go in as mist and check it out, but get ready to send in the cavalry._

The last thing Adriane saw was Zach poised to draw his sword as she squeezed through the door's keyhole and into chaos.

A dark mist twisted around the crystal like a maelstrom, bolts of dark magic flashing like lightning. Most of the crystal lay in shards on the floor, its blue glow fading as the mist sucked up its magic. It must have sensed Adriane there, as in an instant part of it contorted into the shape of a huge horned snake. It lashed at her, but its fangs only bit empty air. Adriane swooped above, mentally sending its image to her friends. _Charge!_

The door burst open as Zach and Lorren rushed in with their swords drawn, Kara between them. Hissing, the snake lunged, only for Lorren to slice its head clean off. Almost instantaneously, another head morphed from the stump and snapped feverishly at a blast of Kara's diamond magic.

Kara shrieked and tore her magic away, just as a volley of golden arrows rained from above. The beast writhed and shot upward at Adriane, still in mist form, who swept herself away at the last moment to let the dark creature burst apart against the ceiling. In a second both had re-materialized: Adriane crouched among her friends and the snake looming overhead. Zach's magic twisted into a dome around them, though through the red shield they could all see the eyeless creature with is bottomless gaping mouth, out of which came a strange wavering shriek. Was it…laughing?

Suddenly, four more heads and necks exploded from behind the snake. Adriane and Kara frantically surged their own magic into the shield, as all four friends braced against the incoming barrage.

A deep purple and silver light blazed at the far end of the room, from among the crystal shards. The snake heads thrashed and screamed as the light ate up their necks and ripped apart their dark mist, growing brighter and brighter until a final flash forced mages and Lorren to shut their eyes.

When they opened them again, their shield was gone and nothing remained of the snakes. Where the light had begun stood a female figure, encased in a pulsing violet glow. She walked towards them slowly, so gracefully that it seemed her feet stood on air. Her thick ebony hair and red tunic billowed around her, though there was no wind, and her face was expressionless but for a pair of wide and piercing lavender eyes—the girl in the crystal! Only feet from them, she stopped and extended her hand, palm up. Cautiously, Zach and Lorren stepped forward and reached for her, their hands almost in hers when her glow suddenly faded. Her eyes closed and she fell forward, but Lorren caught her against his chest. He quickly knelt to the ground with her and checked her pulse.

"Is she okay," Zach was beside him immediately, Adriane soon following. Kara stood back, a scowl forming on her face.

"She's breathing and has a pulse. I think she's just sleeping—exhausted probably."

They all looked at the unconscious girl in Lorren's arms, who frowned and shivered against him in her sleep. He brushed a lock of hair from her face.

"You were right, Lorren," Adriane murmured. "She _is_ on our side."

**So now things get rolling! In chapter three, it'll get a bit more romantic. I know that I already gave the pairings in the summary, but that can change if you readers really want something different.**

**Please review!!! And tell me what **_**you**_** want the pairings to be. The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update.**


	3. An Encounter at Dawn

**Hi everybody! Thank you for the reviews, and be sure to review this chapter too! Keep telling me your thoughts and suggestions for the pairings and plot.**

**Mocket: I think you're psychic!**

**This chapter has less action than the last, but the mysterious girl finally gets a name, and gets to talk and be normally awake.**

**~.~.~**

They let the girl rest in one of the unoccupied rooms upstairs. By the dim pale-green light of goblin lamps, Emily traced her healing magic all around and through the girl, soothing old and newer scars that crisscrossed the pale skin of her back, shoulders, and thighs. They were long and thin cuts, like whip marks, some just white lines and others an angry rose color. It took almost an hour, a deeply distressing hour for Emily, as her mind wandered into all sorts of horror stories about the scars' origins. When she was finished, the exhausted healer dressed the girl in a warmer long-sleeved nightgown, dark grey and silky, and called in her friends to take over.

Sure as they were that the girl was on their side, they still couldn't let their guard down too much. Kara and Zach took the first shift watching the girl and waited for nearly two hours, until the sky outside the little pointed-arch window started to brighten. Kara flipped through a fashion magazine and Zach read a book that Adriane had lent him: _Alice in Wonderland_.

Kara finished the last article on spring accessories and glanced around the room, already bored and a little warm. She unlatched the window and opened it, letting in a cool early morning breeze.

"So, what do you think of her," she said to Zach, nodding her head towards the girl.

Zach put down his book. "I…I don't know what to think. She saved us, and I feel sorry for her. I mean, I think I know more than anyone what evil the Sorceress can do—could do. I guess that I can sympathize."

"Do you think she's hot?"

Zach blushed, but said nothing.

"Well _Lorren_ certainly thinks she's hot. And I'm sure that Adriane would love to hear what you think of crystal girl."

"Shut up," Zach held his book to his face, pretending to read. "I've never even spoken to her—she was only awake for a few minutes!—but I've known Adriane for almost five years. There's no comparison. And besides, it's not like we're actually _together_, and neither are you and Lorren."

Kara scowled at that last reminder, just as the girl on the bed made a tiny movement. Both froze and stared at her. Her lips pressed together, her hand clenched, and her eyes fluttered open. For a moment she just stared back at them with a half-asleep face, but then, as if suddenly realizing her position, she bolted up in bed and flinched as far away from them as possible. Her lavender gaze shot frantically around the room, and then settled on the open window.

"Wait," Zach said cautiously. "We don't want to hurt you, we want—"

The girl cut him off by jumping on the ledge and flinging herself out the window. Zach and Kara rushed to the window, just in time to see the girl spring up from a crouch and start running towards the forest.

"Hey!" Kara shouted. "Adriane, Lorren, Emily, she's escaping! She's heading into the forest!"

Zach was already halfway to the stairs as Kara finished. "Come on!" he shouted to Lorren and Adriane, who had just poked their heads out of their rooms. They hadn't yet caught up as Zach burst out the front doors and into the chilly pale dawn, alone. The girl had become a small grey blur vanishing into the trees.

As he reached the forest's edge, he stopped. The girl had left a trail of crushed leaves and broken twigs, easy to follow. If there was one skill that he'd learned in the wilds of Aldenmore, it was tracking. He followed her path carefully, as silently as he could, listening intently to the faint sound of rustling forest ahead. It grew slower and louder, and he knew that he didn't need to hurry; she would tire and stop eventually.

And that she did: a few minutes after the noises stopped, Zach emerged in the same clearing in which they'd found her crystal. Everything was quiet but the leaves against a soft breeze. There was no girl in sight, but Zach knew that she was hiding.

"It's okay," he called out. "I just want to help you—_we _just want to help you."

Nothing.

"Thank you for saving us from that…thing last night."

Still nothing. He was so bad with words. He couldn't think of the right way to say anything.

"It's safe. The Sorceress is dead. We're the good mages from the prophecy."

At the far edge of the clearing, the silver-leafed bushes made a tiny movement and a figure in grey crept slowly from behind them. She stood up and faced him, still as a marble statue, and Zach understood that she wanted him to come to her. _Found her_, he sent a mental message to Adriane.

Walking across the meadow seemed to take only a second, but his heart beat faster and faster as he approached her. Why? Was he afraid that she'd run away?

He stopped only a yard from this motionless and expressionless girl, whose stone mask suddenly cracked to an assertive frown as she demanded: "When did you find me? What year is it? How long has she been dead?"

Taken aback by her out-of-nowhere change, Zach blinked and hesitated before saying: "We found you here two weeks ago, it's 2013 in Earth years, and she's been dead for four years. Who are you? What's your na—"

"How did you defeat her? Do you know anything about that creature from last night?"

"We've never seen that thing before, and we defeated her all together, with magic from our animals—"

The girl almost flinched at the word 'animals,' as if it grazed an open wound. Her face softened, as she stopped snapping at Zach and finally looked him over. He felt his ears simmer in embarrassment for his simple billowing white shirt, jeans, and hiking boots, and decided to return her look:

Even in the low morning light, her raven hair starkly contrasted with the silver leaves and multicolored flowers around her, and her eyes seemed to glow, framed with thick lashes and set above a narrow nose and full lips. She stood almost as tall as him, and though her nightgown was loose, it still hinted at her body's curvy contours—not as lean-muscled as Adriane, but definitely more…feminine.

"Are you human?" she took a few steps towards him and brushed the sandy blond hair from his eyes, examining him, her face very close to his. He almost shivered at the touch of her hand.

"Yeah…Are you?" He suddenly realized that he'd never learned her name, and added "I'm Zach. What's your name?"

She stared into his eyes, seeming to challenge him. "I'm Nightshade. My father was a human, my mother a fairy."

"Are they still alive?" he asked, regretting the bluntness immediately.

"No."

"Neither are mine."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Her lavender eyes and his bright blue ones were nearly-level and were drawn to each other like magnets, bringing them closer and closer to each other. Zach felt the air between them crackle with electricity—was it their magic, or something else?

"Hey Zach!"

Both jumped back and whirled around towards the sudden voice behind them. Where Zach had first come into the clearing, Lorren and Adriane were emerging from the trees.

"Hey!" he called back and waved, with a shaking voice and hand.

Nightshade shrunk back, frowning and watching the two newcomers warily. "Weren't they with you last night, fighting that monster," she said.

"Yeah, it's okay. They're my friends," he awkwardly stretched out his hand to her, not sure if it was too familiar a gesture. "Come on."

She didn't take his hand, but walked alongside him to meet Adriane and Lorren in the middle of the meadow. He saw a blush tint her face as they finally met up.

"Um," he said to his friends. "This is Nightshade," and then turned to Nightshade: "This is Lorren and Adriane."

Lorren bowed and tipped his wide-brimmed black hat. "I believe we met last night, briefly. Thank you for saving us."

Nightshade's blush grew stronger, and she surprised Lorren by answering with a handshake instead of a curtsey. "You're welcome. And thank you for finding and caring for me," Lorren's hand and hers held each other a little too long, and Zach felt a familiar but uncommon feeling stirring within himself.

"Thanks from me, too," Adriane said. She threw a quick questioning glance at Zach before returning to Nightshade. "Do you remember anything about last night? What kind of monster it was or how you beat it?"

Nightshade's gaze fell to a patch of flowers on the ground. "I remember waking up, that dark mist, something like a snake, you three and another girl fighting, but it's just snippets, blurry. I don't remember what I did, but that creature…I don't think I've seen it before," she frowned, looking confused, before her expression hardened and she stood up straight. "But I'm okay now. I can fight that thing again if it comes back."

Adriane's eyes narrowed, and Zach could tell that she didn't believe her whole story. Before the warrior could say anything, Lorren interjected: "Well, I'm sure that we're all tired and hungry. Adriane, why don't you tell Kara or Emily to have the cook make us some breakfast, so it'll be ready when we get back."

"Sure," Adriane said, a little annoyed at Lorren.

On the way back to the research base, Adriane didn't mention any of last night, but she kept a suspicious eye on Nightshade the whole time.

~.~.~

**So what did you think? Do you like Nightshade? Hate her? No opinion yet? This chapter was just Zach's perspective, so you'll get to see what Lorren, Adriane, and Nightshade herself think later. **

**Next chapter, Emily and Kara meet Nightshade, and they set off on their first quest.**

**Review please! What do you think will happen? What do you think **_**should**_** happen? Who is Nightshade? Who were her parents? Why was she trapped in that crystal?**


	4. Volatile Girl

Emily had no idea what to think of Nightshade.

They ate breakfast with only Lorren and Tasha—Adriane, Zach and Kara were sleeping, too exhausted from using magic—in the long dining room with its table of dark polished wood and walls decorated with portraits of famous goblin explorers. All three introduced themselves: Emily the healer mage, Lorren the Goblin Prince, and Tasha the Goblin court sorceress. Nightshade returned an empty "Nice to meet you, I'm Nightshade." That was the beginning of the most awkwardly quiet meal that Emily had ever eaten.

Nightshade was withdrawn, not speaking unless spoken to, but nothing about her was timid. She ate quickly and intensely, as if the food could be snatched away at any moment, but her silence made her all the more powerful and intimidating, and no one dared to ask her anything beyond "Do you like the food?" and "Do you like the clothes?"

They had leant her a black Greek-looking tunic, which fell to her knees and draped her body in loose folds. She had thanked them for it and said that she liked it, the same as her response to the meal of soup and fruit. Nightshade wasn't rude or aggressive, but her lack of friendliness and warmth was jarring to everyone, especially Emily, who worried about how badly she'd been affected by the dark mist, the crystal, and whatever made those scars. She hoped that this new girl would open up once she adjusted.

Tasha anxiously picked at her food, probably squirming for the chance to investigate this new type of mage. Beside her, Lorren tried to be the gracious host by making empty small talk about nothing in particular. Emily glanced worriedly at Nightshade whenever the other girl wasn't looking.

In the even more awkward silence after everyone had finished their meals, Emily finally brought herself to ask Nightshade, cautiously, "After last night and this morning, are you tired? Do you want to rest?"

Nightshade had been staring at her empty plate, but immediately turned and locked her intense gaze into Emily's eyes. "No," she said flatly. "I'm fine."

"Um," Emily blinked. "Are you sure you're not…_hurt_…or,"

Nightshade must have felt Emily staring at the small length of scar uncovered on her shoulder and suddenly realized what Emily knew. She bolted up from her chair, anger and hurt crackling across her face, and for a moment tried to speak but choked on her words. With a dizzy stumble, Nightshade ran out of the dining room. Lorren and Tasha looked frantically between each other and Emily.

Stunned for a second, Emily cried "W-wait!" and dashed after the slapping sound of her bare feet on the stairs.

Emily emerged in the upstairs library, brightly-lit by the Avalon sunshine streaming through its Gothic arch windows. Rays of purple aura shone between the books of the closest bookcase.

"Nightshade," she said softly. "I'm sorry…"

"Please, just leave me alone," mumbled Nightshade's voice from behind the bookcase.

"I will, but…I'm the healer mage, and I'm so sorry, but it's my job. And I won't tell anyone—not if you don't want me to," Emily turned around and stepped towards the door.

"No—don't leave!"

Emily stopped. Did this girl want to talk to her? To trust her? She moved warily to the bookcase and peered around it.

Nightshade was sitting on her knees at the end of the aisle, her back to Emily as she watched Tasha's botanical gardens through the tall window. She didn't turn around, but whispered: "They're ugly scars aren't they? I was wondering why they looked a little better, but I must have you to thank for that."

"I, well, you're welcome," Emily approached her slowly. "If you want, I can heal them more…maybe make them go away completely."

The girl's body tensed, and for a moment she was silent before saying fiercely: "Don't tell anyone. Help me, fine, and I'll pay you back someday. But I don't want anyone to know. Ever."

"I promise I won't tell, but you don't need to pay—"

"No, I never take anything that I can't pay back."

"Well…okay, if you feel better that way," Emily tried to manage a smile, but not seeing Nightshade's face made her uneasy. Was she smiling too, or scowling? Was she even grateful, or would she only pay Emily back out of guilt or duty?

Emily's questions were answered the next moment, when a door in the hallway slammed and a startled Nightshade whirled around to face her. Her pale face was streaked with fresh tears and her lips clenched closed like floodgates holding back sobs. It all looked so strange compared to her old stone-like expression that Emily was left without words. The girl gasped, horrified that Emily had seen her. She jerked back around and, as if she was in pain, wrapped her arms around herself and bent over.

"Go away," Nightshade snapped. "I'm sorry, thank you, but please just go away."

Despite her healer's impulses to help, Emily knew that Nightshade needed some time alone. Having someone else see her in pain only made the pain worse. Emily took a last look at the curled-up and shaking girl and said softly, "I'm here if you ever need to talk." She walked slowly out of the aisle and towards the library door, half-expecting Nightshade to call her back again, but the other girl was silent.

She met Kara, clad in a fuzzy pink bathrobe, in the hall adjacent to the stairs, library, and corridor of bedrooms. Defying her still-sleepy eyes, Kara flipped her blonde hair, heavy and wet from the shower, and asked with energy and a touch of sting: "So where's crystal girl?"

"Her name is Nightshade, and she's—um—reading in the library," Emily strung her arm around Kara's and started to lead her down the stairs. "Come on, it'd be rude to bother her and I bet you're hungry. They have rubyfruit and pumpkin soup."

"Oooo," Kara eagerly took the lead. "I haven't had rubyfruit in ages!"

Kara stopped at the bottom of the stairs, her good mood suddenly subdued as she glanced back warily. "What should we do with this Nightshade? What if she's some sort of spy? Shouldn't we keep closer tabs on her?"

Emily smiled reassuringly. "I don't think she's a bad person, just…unstable. Don't worry: after Ozzie, Lyra, and Dreamer come back this afternoon, they can help to keep an eye on her."

~.~.~

"_Once you stop fighting me, your suffering will end. I promise…_" crooned the voice.

Curled against the bookshelf and cold window, Nightshade dug her fingernails into her arm so hard that she was sure that they drew blood, as she tried to feel only those sharp puncture sensations. She stared at a patch of red flowers in the garden below and imagined the blooms coming to life, mingling with the morning glories, or bursting into flames—anything to distract from the voice.

"_I'll never leave you. The moment you think that I'm gone forever, I'll return again. I'll be with you until you come to me._"

"Shut up. Shut up!_ Shut up!_" Nightshade whispered furiously. She couldn't cover her ears and block the evil words, as the voice wasn't a sound around her: it was a foreign thought invading her mind. "I won't hurt them. I won't let you hurt them—I won't let you hurt anyone!"

The voice laughed. "_Let me see you try, Nightshade._"

~.~.~

**Mmmmm, a mysterious ending. I'm sorry that this chapter took so long! I've started diverging from my outline and I've even changed my plans for some of the pairings. What do you guys want to happen?**

**Please review! It only takes a second, and I'll be grateful for even a few words.**


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